EDTA (Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid), a metal chelator, is widely used in molecular biology as a chemical reagent to reduce nuclease activity (i.e. metalloenzyme). EDTA solution can be used to study cell biology, molecular biology, bioactive small molecules, biochemicals, solutions and reagents, inorganic salts, and chelators.

"Typically, EDTA is added to Tris base in order to prepare Tris EDTA (TE), which can be used to reconstitute nucleic acids (i.e. DNA).